88+ ‘Uncanny’ Writing Prompts
-
Personal Anthem
Identify a song that encapsulates your life or a significant phase of it, and elucidate why.
-
The Scent of Memories
Describe a fragrance that transports you back to a specific moment in your past.
-
Cursed Valentine’s
A couple receives a Valentine’s Day gift that seems to bring ominous signs and strange events.
-
Blossoming Terror
Pen a narrative that explores how a perfectly normal thing/situation can snowball into a thing of terror.
-
Haunted House Rules
A family moving into a haunted house must negotiate certain rules with the resident ghosts.
-
Lucid Dreams Unfolding
Incorporate elements of a lucid dream into a short story where the line between reality and subconscious become blurred.
-
Revealing the Unknown
Write about a seemingly ordinary object that progressively reveals fearful aspects.
-
The Enigmatic Leader
Pen a story about a charismatic political leader with a cult following who is speculated to be more than what…
-
The Dreadful Doppelganger
Your character encounters a doppelganger who eerily predicts ominous events.
-
Creeping Shadows
Write a scene where the shadow of a character takes on a life of its own in a horrifying way.
-
Unnerving Resemblance
Create a story about an artist who realizes his newly designed character has started to exist in real life.
-
Carnival Capers
Describe a bizarre encounter with a seemingly ordinary carnival worker at the summer fair.
-
Delia’s Time-Traveling Dentures
Imagine a sweet old grandmother’s dentures have an uncanny ability to transport her to any place or time she fancies…
-
The Cursed Lighthouse
Describe a night in a cursed lighthouse believed to be haunted by a ghost of a previous keeper.
-
Vicious Vaccination
Compose a horror story where a newly developed vaccine is causing horrific transformations in patients.
-
Haunted House Mystery
Write a story about a group of friends embarking on an overnight stay in a reputed haunted house.
-
“Black Friday’s Phantom Shopper”
A local mall sees the mysterious appearance of a shopper every Black Friday who buys nothing but leaves behind puzzled…
-
Unearthly Invasion
Create a narrative where the Earth is subtly invaded by aliens, blending in perfectly as humans.
-
Mirror Depths
Portray a scene where the surface of water is so clear that it mirrors the sky, and blurs the line…
-
Ghostly Maritime Tales
Create a chilling ghost tale set in the high seas or an abandoned coastal town.
-
Mysterious Moniker
Craft a thrilling story where the protagonist’s name has uncanny connections to a murder they’re investigating.
-
Nightly Negotiations
Focus on a young character who has come to realize their monster under the bed isn’t so scary. They have…
-
The Average Joe with an Unusual Shadow
Your protagonist is an ordinary person with an extraordinary shadow that interacts with the world in unexpected ways.
-
Emergent AI
Write a story about a future world where artificial intelligence is a daily reality, but starts to subvert its programming…
-
The Creepy Portrait
Narrate a spooky story about an old portrait you found in your attic which seems to move when you aren’t…
-
The Blizzard’s Secret Message
Imagine a blizzard that communicates a specific message or prophecy to a small, snowed-in town.
-
The Unwanted Gift
Write a story about a gift received from a relative that gradually displays supernatural powers.
-
Inspiring the Pencil
Write about a book or author that made you realize the impact writing can have.
-
Hidden Coven in the Suburbs
Create a story about a seemingly normal suburb that houses a coven of witches.
-
Concrete Jungle Survival
Craft a survivalist adventure of a person isolated in an abandoned part of a bustling city.
-
Unwanted Guest
Write a story about a family terrorized by an unseen entity in their newly purchased mansion.
-
The Mannequin House
Pen a tale about a suburban house packed with mannequins that creak to life during the dead of night.
-
Dreadful Doppelganger
Write about a character who is haunted by their exact replica, who starts altering their life in horrifying ways.
-
The Malignant Melody
Your protagonist starts to hear a creepy melody playing in their house every night — a melody they remember their…
-
Monster Mask
Construct a story about a villain that is not human but takes on human characteristics.
-
Otherworldly Animal Communicator
Your main character has the uncanny ability to communicate with the spirits of pets.
-
A Premonition Come True
Conjure up a story where your protagonist is haunted by a recurring vision of the future, which eventually comes true.
-
Journey Through the Easter Wonderland
Create a narrative where an ordinary Easter egg hunt transforms into a journey through a parallel Easter-themed world.
-
Grocery Store Ghosts
Venture into the horror of the mundane by conjuring up supernatural occurrences at the local grocery store.
-
Ethereal Therapist
What if a therapist’s office was haunted by a psychologist who still tries to help people with their emotional struggles?
-
Awakening New Force
Write about your character discovering a new aspect to their force abilities just before they exit for a new galaxy.
-
The Ghastly Town Legend
Take a local legend in your town and turn it into a ghastly supernatural story.
-
Virtual Villains: Reality or Machine?
A trending virtual reality game has begun to affect players in real life, with real consequences.
-
Terrifying Tenderness
Conceive a villainous character that exudes an eerie charm and uncanny kindness.
-
The Wailing Willow
Craft a tale around a grieving willow that cries mournful whispers when the wind blows through its branches.
-
Ghostly Reflections
Write a short story where the main character starts seeing a ghost in any reflective surface.
-
Zombie Apocalypse Western
In a post-apocalyptic western town, a gunslinger is the town’s only hope against a hoard of uncanny outlaws – who…
-
Spirit Communicator
Write a story about a person who has the unique ability to communicate with spirits, and the spooky, unanticipated consequences…
-
Haunted Memory
Jot down a seemingly innocent memory from your childhood and twist it into a chilling ghost story.
-
The Imaginary Friend
Recount a story of a young child talking to an imaginary friend who shares chillingly accurate future events.
-
Absence of Reflections
In a world where everyone can see their reflections, your primary character discovers one day they no longer have one.
-
One-Way Correspondence
Write a story about someone who starts receiving letters with their own handwriting and signature, predicting uncanny events.
-
Eerily Wise Beyond Years
Create a story based around a child who inexplicably has aged wisdom or precognitive abilities.
-
The Labyrinthine House
Write about a character who moves into an old house, only to discover it’s bigger on the inside than it…
-
White Noise Alarm
Create a story focusing on the sudden silence that falls just before unimaginable horror unfolds.
-
Nightmare Dollmaker
Create a tale about a toymaker-turned-killer who uses his creations as deadly weapons.
-
Relentless Pursuit
Write about a protagonist who is being chased by an exceptional tracker, but they have an uncanny ability to lose…
-
The Weight of the Invisible
Something unseen but palpable is causing dimensions to distort and reality to warp in your protagonist’s home.
-
Midnight Balloon Mystery
Create a suspense-filled story of a hot-air balloon ride that turns eerie as the clock strikes midnight.
-
Echoes of the Abandoned City
Imagine a long-lost city being discovered in the heart of a desert and describe the exploration journey.
-
Whispers of the Deep
Write a story where a sailor chronicles the mysterious events and uncanny sightings he experiences on his journey in the…
-
Ghost Ship Sightings
Write a tale set in present-day about a repeated sighting of a ghost ship that only appears during full moons.
-
Creepy Folklore Inheritance
Write about a character who inherits an old family heirloom tied to a creepy folklore.
-
The Unfamiliar Familiar
Write about a character who wakes up one day to find their familiar world slightly shifted, creating an uncanny atmosphere.
-
Forgotten Reflections
Write a story about looking into your mirror and not seeing your reflection one day.
-
Fallen City
Imagine a modern city, much like the ones we live in today, but now deserted and empty following an apocalyptic…
-
Cursed House
Write a story about a family moving into a new house, which they slowly start suspecting might be cursed.
-
Ghostly Possessions
Write about an innocent child’s toy that inexplicably starts displaying disturbing, paranormal activities.
-
Flickered Feelings
Pen a poem embodying the emotions stirred within you after watching a particularly impactful film.
-
Fleeting Fragrances
Describe a particular fragrance or smell that transports you back to a specific time or place in your past.
-
The Phantom Reflection
Imagine a scenario where one day, your protagonist wakes up to find their reflection in the mirror behaving independently.
-
Gateway of Memories
You found a door in your house that you’ve never noticed before. Where does it lead?
-
Unraveling a Memory
Recount a seemingly insignificant memory from your past that still lingers in your mind. Why do you think it has…
